The human mind is the greatest mystery of the natural world. In this talk we will explore some of the unique insights into the nature of the mind that are contained in the Bahá’í writings. Our purpose is to provide a brief and accessible, Bahá’í-inspired perspective on some of the most important and elusive concerns that have animated psychological and philosophical discourse concerning the nature of mind.

Michael Penn is a Professor of Psychology who studied psychology, religion and history at the University of Pennsylvania and clinical psychology at Temple. He has been a Professor at Franklin & Marshall College for 25 years and publishes research and theoretical works in the pathogenesis of hopelessness, the interpenetration of psychology and philosophy, human dignity and human rights, and the relationship between culture and mental health. He was a faculty member for the Wilmette Institute’s Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization program, 1996-2005.